Biography

William Oh, MD, has been principal investigator of the Women & Infants/Brown Center of the Neonatal Research Network of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development since 1991. Dr. Oh’s research has been collaborative, multi-center trials addressing clinical neonatal issues. They have participated in several trials including:

Exploring the role of inhaled nitric oxide in the treatment of very low birth weight infants with respiratory failure. The results showed that this intervention was ineffective in reducing the incidence of death or bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Evaluating the efficacy of hypothermia in reducing the long term morbidity in infants with post hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. The results showed that such intervention was indeed effective in reducing the incidence of neurodevelopmental abnormality, including cerebral palsy at two years of age.

Comparing the efficacy of aggressive and conservative use of phototherapy in reducing the toxic effects of bilirubin on the brain in extremely low birth weight infants. The enrollment phase of this trial has been completed, and they are awaiting the results of neurodevelopmental outcome which is the primary variable for the trial.

Using the generic data base being collected in very low birth weight infants admitted to the network centers, this center’s investigators have been very active in testing various hypothesis relevant to the improvement of neonatal care. In addition, Women & Infants is the organizing center for follow-up programs for the network.